I’m a new member here, though I’ve followed the seasteading concept ever since Patri appeared on Econtalk several years ago. I saw this in the news and it really caught my attention and I wanted to make sure everyone here read about it. My personal opinon is that until it becomes cost effective to locate certain types of produciton on the seas, that seasteading will remain fringe. But once businesses can make an economic argument for moving to the seas, nothing will be able to stop the transition. That’s why this article got me excited. Maybe, just maybe, data centers are starting to actually go there….not just theory but reality. When enough data centers get together in a single location, maybe the people will want to live there. Seasteading might start like the old Company mining towns. I know it’s not a romantic political philosophical test, but maybe it’ll break the dam wide open. I wish this tech startup the best of luck.

I’m a new member here, though I’ve followed the seasteading concept ever since Patri appeared on Econtalk several years ago. I saw this in the news and it really caught my attention and I wanted to make sure everyone here read about it. My personal opinon is that until it becomes cost effective to locate certain types of produciton on the seas, that seasteading will remain fringe. But once businesses can make an economic argument for moving to the seas, nothing will be able to stop the transition. That’s why this article got me excited. Maybe, just maybe, data centers are starting to actually go there….not just theory but reality. When enough data centers get together in a single location, maybe the people will want to live there. Seasteading might start like the old Company mining towns. I know it’s not a romantic political philosophical test, but maybe it’ll break the dam wide open. I wish this tech startup the best of luck.

ELSPRU – I mostly agree with you. But, I guess I’m saying, that unless there’s an economic reason for seasteading, I don’t see how it grows. Just because it can grow doesn’t mean it will. Take the modern rural/urban migration. I grew up in a rural area, and I loved it. Peaceful, more freedom, community ties, cheap land etc. But, I’m part of the migration moving to cities. I, as well as many other americans, migrated for the same reason Willie Sutton robbed banks; “cause that’s where the money is.” I have higher taxes, more regulatino (and I hate that stuff), but I do it because my salary is double what I could make back home, and there’s more to do. Over time, people follow the money. And if there’s money, you can’t stop em. So, unless these seasteading communities can offer economic benefits which outweigh the costs, I don’t see how they survive long term. It’s not a technical problem (though that can reduce the costs), it’s an economic problem. But that’s just my opinion, and what do i really know anyways.

If my theory is correct, I wonder why oil platforms haven’t turned into communities? Maybe because the benefits to colocating them are actually negative rather then complementary, and so communities never develop. Or maybe the companies that own them discourage this? Or maybe it’s just because noone wants to live there.

The world is falling apart all around us and people are looking for a fresh start. They’re looking to start new lives far away from human civilization.

That’s always been the dream of humans. It is what ultimately led to the creation of the United States.

I believe the first groups to settle will be devout Christians from the United States. There are already several movements encouraging people to live off the grid and separate themselves from mainstream America. (I think one is called Chrisian Exodus) Moving to a remote location is the next logical progression.

We should be forming partnerships with these groups. They would provide much needed capital and investments in the seasteading initiatives.

with groups like Christian Exodus…. No, I don’t think so. The Puritans who settled the New World were fleeing religious persecution because they were NUTS!! From what little I’ve read of the Christian Exodus group, they are just a little to the left of the Taliban! Let the religious fanatics ally them selves with each other, and do their own thing. Like the man from Galilee said, “let the dead bury the dead: take up your cross and follow [him].”

why we are that much concerned about politics? – like in land based settlement the core issue will be what is the “driving force of the settlement” mining towns are driven by mining, cattle towns by cattle, etc… settlers are more concerend about what they eat and what they can extract a living from, – you can start thinking about politics and ideology when eating and economics is no longer a concern…

ELSPRU – I mostly agree with you. But, I guess I’m saying, that unless there’s an economic reason for seasteading, I don’t see how it grows.

sunlight or hydrothermal vents, are main sources of energy in nature.

Just because it can grow doesn’t mean it will. Take the modern rural/urban migration. I grew up in a rural area, and I loved it. Peaceful, more freedom, community ties, cheap land etc. But, I’m part of the migration moving to cities. I, as well as many other americans, migrated for the same reason Willie Sutton robbed banks; “cause that’s where the money is.” I have higher taxes, more regulatino (and I hate that stuff), but I do it because my salary is double what I could make back home, and there’s more to do.

living in the city, it seems quite the opposite to me.

there is much more that you Can do in the country.

and fiat-currency is just shiny paper anyhow.

grow your own food, and you’ve got energy your body can ingest.

Over time, people follow the money. And if there’s money, you can’t stop em. So, unless these seasteading communities can offer economic benefits which outweigh the costs, I don’t see how they survive long term. It’s not a technical problem (though that can reduce the costs), it’s an economic problem. But that’s just my opinion, and what do i really know anyways.

Really it’s “follow the habitat”, where you get food, shelter, social, fullfillment.

Yes we can use a form of currency, or price-calculated barter with promissory notes,

however to have “money-to-give” you’ve first gotta make enough produce for it to have value.

So once you can feed, shelter, socialize a person and give them some freedom, you’ve created a habitat to attract more people.

If my theory is correct, I wonder why oil platforms haven’t turned into communities? Maybe because the benefits to colocating them are actually negative rather then complementary, and so communities never develop. Or maybe the companies that own them discourage this? Or maybe it’s just because noone wants to live there.

Since it is not a habitat, it is merely a “hunting-ground”,

which has a resource they can aquire and then go home to feed their habitat.

So to keep people close to point-of-sale,

we have price-calculated promissory notes,

people stay close to redeem their promises,

with product or service.

promissory notes may be transferable, just as any currency can be traded,

though the buyer would have to be able to make use of the given currency.

a potential solution is to redeem your promissory notes in precious metals.